Spokane Star Team Real Estate Blog

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Have you prepared your Spokane Home for winter?

As winter approaches and temperatures go below freezing, improving the efficiency of your Spokane home will not only save you money but will also make your home more comfortable. Below are some reminders of things you can do to your prepare your for winter.

Have your chimney swept if you plan to have fires.

Detach External Hoses and protect pipes from freezing.

Turn off water to external water pipes.

Blow out your sprinklers.

Clean your gutters.

Reverse your ceiling fan. The clockwise rotation will blow the hot air down.

Check that windows and doors are airtight. Use caulk or weather stripping to eliminate air leakage.

Put up storm windows.

Change your furnace filter monthly.

Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

6 Things to Consider When Buying Spokane Real Estate

Find out what you can afford. Ask your real estate agent or use a mortgage calculator to estimate a payment but don't forget that you will also have home owner's insurance, taxes and utility bills. Your real estate agent should be able to help you obtain all of this information.

Check the selling prices of comparable homes in your area. Your real estate Agent can give you comps in your area or you can drive around and look at houses for sale or look online to see houses listed and their prices.

Find out how much closing costs will be. Closing costs can include loan origination fees charged by the lender, title and settlement fees, taxes and prepaid items such as homeowners insurance or homeowners association fees.

Look at your income and current expenses and determine a budget. Don't over extend yourself and take on too big of a payment. Experts recommend estimating a mortgage payment of about 30% of your income.

Don't try to time your purchase with the ups and downs of the real estate market. If you find the right home at the right price for you then now is the right time to buy.

Be prepared for additional expenses. Homeownership is a wonderful venture but things can break so be prepared for unexpected costs.